Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-10-20
The Blue Overalls.
sYrrAxus COBB, JA.

Christopher ClarkeY His parents were
Of the original settlers here, and built
the great old house that stands on the
knoll, Just beyond the Academy
Yes, Walter. The house has al
ways been called, The Clarke House.
hasn't it?
sOf course it has. Well, Mr..
Christopher went away from home in
his early youth. During the last thirty
years he's been in New York City, do
ing big business; and he's made
fortune. His contractor. Mr.. Towne,
who has come to tear down the old
house, and put up modern mansion
in its place, tells me he's worth con-
siderably more than a million
sAnd is he going to make his home
here7
Yes. He's very near sixty-and he
wants to breathe the pure air Of his
native hills once more; in fact, to
spend the rest Of days among them.
And his life is not well, and the doc
tors have told him he must get her
away from the sea-board. And his
children, too, be desires, should have
home in the country they can come
when they please.
And what is this to you, Walter,
that 1t sould make you feel SO good?
why, can't you see? shall have
his trade; and it'll be big thing--the
best thing I've ever had since I've
been in business. His trade will be
worth to me, for the first year or so,
about as much as all the rest of nv
sales put together; and after his house
is finished it will be large. AS for old
Larkin, he's about played out. His
store isn't kept neat, and he don't
keep his stock up / expect he'll make
a big effort. but he can't outbid me-
OF course lie can't, for Mr.. Towne has
already made my store his choice; and
wherever he goes, his employer will
go. And sthere's another thing; It'll
be great help to the town--the
bringing of his wealth into it,
At this point another speaker enter
ed into the discussion. Those who
had thus far spoken had been Waiter
Blanford and his wife, Margaret, com.
monty called Maggie The husband
was an intelligent, good looking man,
elght-and twenty years of age, of fair
business caoacity, and had been for
five years and little more proprietor of
the largest store in the village. The
village was country settlement, away
back among the hills and forests; and
the store was such an establishment as
you would expect to find in such q
locality.
The only other store in the village
was kept by man Of at least three
score named Peter Larkin. It was of
the same general description as that of
Blanford's; but it was not quite SO well
kept nor SO well supplied. Larkin'
had followed his father in the store;
and father and son hept it for very
nearly three quarters of a centuy.
Maggie Blanford. the wife, was q
trim, pretty little woman, an excellent
housekeeper, whose chief aims in life
were, to keep her house in order, to
look to the ways and welfare of her
children, to see that her table was
made inviting, and last, but by no
means least, to reflect her husbands
greatness. She loved him blindly.
She saw none of his faultsj and she
regarded him as the first man of the
village.
But one sat in far corner, indus
triously plying her knitting needles,
who was not so blind as was Maggie;
and that was Walters mother. At
the age Of two-and- d-twenty W alter had
married and having served since his
fathers death in FIRST class city store,
he had thought it would be good
thing for him to establish store in
his native town. He had conferred
with his mother, and she had finally
let him have FIVE thousand dollars in
cash to help him in the enterprise.
His wife's father had made him pre-.
sent outright Of the store building and
its belongings. So, under the circum
stances. Walters mother felt that she
might properly speak. She was q
pleasant faced, mildeyed, cheerful old
lady, with heart as warm and as true
as heart can be. And she knew her
son thoroughly.
Walter, she said, looking up over
her silver bowed spectacles, 4 know
something Of Christopher Clsrkes char
acter, and you must let me give you
just one hint. your dealings with
him, or any OF his people. be careful
and don't let that impatient DISPOSE
tion OF yours manifest itself In fact,
II would be greatly TO your advantage
ifyou would curb It altogether, even
towards the very poorest and meanest
OF your customers.
'Ol Mother Blanford! how can you
say such thing to Wa!ter9 cried the
young wife, daring up instantly. He
impatient or ungentlemanlyl He's
the most patient man ever saw.
Ishall not dispute you, Margaret
the old lady returned, mildly. Then
turning to her son, she vent on: 'Will
you tell me what occasion old Aaron